Watashi-wa Amused Desu.

Today is my birthday but I may do a birthday post later on. This post is devoted to some of the things which have made me laugh. They could maybe (hmm maybe not) have happened anywhere but I think it is more amusing to think it is only Japan.

1. Some school students who I'm helping with English come every Friday. One week one of them came and told me that another hurt her back skiing and would have to stand. I thought this was very unfortunate for her and there could be nothing worse than having to stand with a painful back, learning English. That was until the final person walked in. Wearing an eye-patch. I thought it best not to ask. I could have told her it was very eye-catching but that would have been insensitive.

2. Many of the pet dogs in Japan wear coats and jumpers because they definitely would not survive the harsh Tokyo winter with lows of 3 degrees c and constant sunshine. It hasn't even snowed here. I'm beginning to get used to this and also to the dog-walkers pushing their dogs around in a dog-pram, but one thing which did surprise me was a dog wearing nothing (sordid, I know,) apart from 4 sparkly red shoes. I wish I had taken a photo.

3. I was asked by someone what I thought of sashimi which is raw fish. I said it was maa-maa (meh its ok, 50-50) and that it doesn't really taste of anything (I think because it is fresh.) She was shocked and told me not to say such things so loudly as I would offend the other Japanese people.

4. When someone eats natto (fermented soy beans which is the most disgusting thing I have ever seen/smelled/tasted,) in your kitchen, it stinks like rotting feet for at least a day.

5. Apart from the whale, I don't think Japan has a bad animal cruelty record. Apart from the sort of thing on this poster.

Also see item no. 2.

The last thing is not so much amusing as impressive. Impressively Japanese. Two men were in a cafe as I was reading my book. As they got up to leave, rather than bowing once to each other, they actually both bowed 3 or 4 times alternately. It was the sort thing you see on stock footage the BBC has on archive if they ever do a documentary about East Asia.

Thank you for your birthday cards and presents, they are all very much appreciated. I will be back soon to see you all in person :) baibai.